Dibakar Ghosh is a tech journalist at How-To Geek, where he focuses on Linux, Windows, and productivity tools. His goal is simple -- help readers at every skill level get more done with the tech they use every day.
He began his writing career in 2016 with WordPress tutorials, later moving into digital marketing, where he spent years reviewing complex tools for marketers. His work has also appeared on Authority Hacker, where he's shared in-depth guides on digital workflows and online productivity. That experience now shapes his journalism, blending analytical depth with practical, real-world advice.
When he's not writing or testing software, Dibakar is usually watching movies or playing video games. He's a huge Christopher Nolan fan and a strong proponent of the theater experience. In gaming, he has sunk hundreds of hours into Insomniac's Spider-Man series, Returnal, Prototype, Darksiders, and Final Fantasy titles.
Are you planning a dual-boot setup but worried about Secure Boot compatibility? Fear that disabling Secure Boot will compromise your Windows installation? Here are five Linux distros that work seamlessly with Windows Secure Boot -- no BIOS tweaking required.
Secure Boot plays an important role in keeping your Windows system safe from rootkit attacks. While traditionally, this feature has blocked many Linux distros from booting -- but that isn't true for all of them. Some distros natively support Secure Boot, allowing you to dual-boot with Windows without disabling the security feature. Here are five of the most popular options, and which one you should choose based on your needs and requirements.
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Posts 2 By Dibakar Ghosh Ubuntu: the gateway distro for maximum hardware compatibility
Ubuntu is ubiquitous with Linux itself. As the most popular distribution -- and the gateway for countless Linux newcomers -- it naturally offers full compatibility with Windows Secure Boot. What makes Ubuntu particularly compelling for dual-booters is its excellent hardware and driver support. It's compatible with the widest selection of hardware, whether you're using a laptop or a desktop.
The app ecosystem is equally impressive. Almost every proprietary application developed for Linux ships with an Ubuntu version, and if something isn't available in the official repositories, you can usually grab it through PPAs (Personal Package Archives). Ubuntu also strikes a strong balance between simplicity and power. The default experience is clean, minimal, and approachable, but you can easily add more functionality by installing a few GNOME extensions.
The only reason you might not like Ubuntu is that GNOME -- its default desktop environment -- uses a virtual desktop-based workflow that can feel very different from what you're used to. That said, if you're willing to experiment with something new -- and it usually takes about a week to adjust -- you might discover a surprisingly powerful way to work.
Fedora: the distro for developers
Fedora looks like Ubuntu on the surface -- both use GNOME by default -- but it brings a completely different philosophy underneath. It's actively backed by Red Hat and serves as a premier home for open-source software. In fact, the distro doesn't ship with any proprietary tools or codecs, which can make installation challenging if your hardware requires non-open-source drivers -- a common frustration with NVIDIA GPUs and certain Wi-Fi or Bluetooth modules on some laptops and motherboards.
That said, if you want a distro optimized for software development or learning how to code, Fedora is an excellent choice. You get access to a wide range of industry-standard development tools through the official repositories. Fedora also follows a cutting-edge release cycle, with new versions every six months packed with the latest packages. This ensures you're always working with up-to-date tools throughout your development workflow.
It's also worth noting that you're not limited to GNOME on Fedora. There are both official and community spins that pair the Fedora base with a variety of popular and niche desktop environments.
Zorin OS: for newcomers coming from Windows
Zorin OS is based on Ubuntu but uses a heavily customized version of GNOME designed to look and feel like Windows right out of the box. What sets it apart is the Zorin Appearance app, which lets you switch between different desktop layouts to match your preferences. There's even a paid Zorin OS Pro version that unlocks professionally designed themes that mimic Windows 10, Windows 11, and even macOS.
Beyond aesthetics, Zorin OS comes with Wine and Bottles preconfigured, letting you run many Windows applications (you can check WineHQ for compatible apps) without any additional setup. This makes the transition from Windows smoother, since you can continue using some of your familiar software.
The distro is primarily aimed at newcomers who want their Linux desktop to feel as Windows-like as possible, both visually and functionally. It minimizes the learning curve by recreating all your familiar workflows.
Linux Mint: minimal, polished, and user-friendly
Linux Mint is another Ubuntu-based, Windows-like distribution, but instead of using a customized version of GNOME, it relies on its own in-house desktop environment called Cinnamon -- which is significantly lighter than GNOME. As a result, Linux Mint tends to run more smoothly on older hardware compared to the other distributions on this list.
Cinnamon also delivers a more polished and refined desktop experience. It features a familiar Windows 7-style layout -- complete with a Start menu, taskbar, and system tray -- but feels modern and well put together. The desktop is highly customizable, with support for widgets and themes that let you personalize your workspace.
It's also worth mentioning that, despite being based on Ubuntu, Linux Mint avoids Snap packages in favor of Flatpak integration. This matters because Flatpaks are generally more open and don't suffer from Snap's often-criticized slow startup times.
openSUSE Tumbleweed: a blend between bleeding-edge software and professional-grade stability
Finally, we have openSUSE Tumbleweed -- the only rolling-release distribution on this list. Unlike the other stable-release distros mentioned here, Tumbleweed receives new package updates as soon as they're made available by developers. You don't need to wait months or years for major version upgrades -- they can arrive every few days or even weekly. This keeps your system consistently up to date with the latest software, making it an excellent choice for users who enjoy living on the bleeding edge.
You don't have to update your system as soon as a new package is released. You can follow a weekly or bi-weekly update schedule.
That said, despite its steady stream of new packages, Tumbleweed is also surprisingly stable and reliable -- even for professional use cases. It's a favorite among system administrators thanks to its rock-solid stability and access to YaST, its iconic system management tool. YaST provides a powerful graphical interface for everything from disk partitioning and network configuration to package management, making advanced system administration accessible without touching the terminal.
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Tumbleweed also supports nearly all popular desktop environments, and app availability is strong through its official repositories, along with Flatpak and AppImage support.
So yes, you can keep Windows Secure Boot enabled and still run Linux -- that problem is solved. What matters now is choosing the right distro for your needs. Whether you're looking for maximum compatibility, developer-focused tools, Windows-like familiarity, lightweight performance, or cutting-edge packages, there's an option for everyone. Pick what best matches your workflow, and enjoy dual-booting without compromise.
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Posts 48 By Dibakar Ghosh